Derek Trader

6th Hour

Minority Report Discussion Questions

Question 1 - I think that for most misdemeanor crimes and for some
felonies, there isnt a fair equal punishment to apply to those crimes. For
the majority of felonies, such as murder, drug trafficking, etc. I think that
there could be a common punishment to be put in place. I do believe that
if you commit a crime, or wrong someone even, that you deserve the
punishment put in place. As a society I think that there really isnt a
possibility of having such an equal punishment for crimes, as no matter
what law there is, someone will be unhappy with it.

Question 4 I think that the prevention of letting the ball continue on

its path did alternate its future. Had Danny not caught the ball, there is no
knowing what could have happened to it. This affects the determinist
outlook because Johns demonstration showed a contradiction to Dannys
statement. By having Danny catch the ball, it shows that someone did
have a choice with the outcome of the balls future. This helps prove a
freewill advocates theory.

Question 7 Personally I think that it would only be okay to

dehumanize the so called precogs if their consent to become one was
given. I dont think its fair for people to be held in captivity in a sort of
unconscious like state. Although, I can understand how the visions of
these people helped to stop crime as it was going to happen, so I see how
it would be beneficial to dehumanize three people in order to prevent
other people taking the lives of others.

Question 9 It can be pretty difficult to determine whether or not

someone would commit a crime. If there really isnt any clear and concise
evidence proving that someone were going to commit a crime or had
premeditated it, then there cant be a way, in my eyes, to balance
deterrence and fallibility of the situation. If we stop a person before a
crime is going to happen without clear and concise evidence of them
doing it, then how will we know if they were going to commit a crime?
That could be false imprisonment.

Question 10 As far as I have seen, this sort of system is already

being developed. For example, social media sites like Facebook and

Twitter tailor advertisements to your search history and likes in web

browsers and the sites themselves. Even though its the internet, I dont
think that its a violation of privacy, however, if this transitioned into
tracking credit card purchases, phone calls, texts, etc. then I would
consider that unethical and a violation of privacy.

Question 11 I think that it proves that pre-crime doesnt work at all.

If events could be changed from a precogs vision becoming true, then
whos to say that all of the other cases of murders could be changed? If
one event can be changed and prove pre-crime to not work, then multiple
events could be changed and any outcome could happen.